1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of using radio signals transmitted for reception by mobile user equipment and to systems and apparatus implementing or using such a method.
2. Background to the Invention
A wide variety of electronic mobile user equipment is known for receiving radio signals for a wide variety of purposes. Such mobile User Equipment (UE) includes mobile phones (which may also be referred to as cell phones or handsets), Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, and other equipment. It will be appreciated that in addition to being able to receive one or more formats of transmitted radio signals, certain examples of known UEs are also able to transmit radio signals. This is of course the case with mobile phones for use in a telecommunication system. Similarly, devices such as PDAs are able to transmit radio signals in order to exchange data with other equipment. Also, in addition to dedicated GNSS receivers, GNSS receiver functionality can also be incorporated in mobile user equipment having other functions, for example a mobile phone having the capability to determine its location using GNSS signals. It is also known for user equipment to be able to receive and process radio signals of different formats from a corresponding plurality of transmitters arranged at terrestrial locations. For example, it is known for a mobile handset to be able to receive and send mobile telephone signals in Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and/or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) systems, in addition to being able to send and receive Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) signals for shorter range communication.
Such user equipment can also provide an alarm function. However, this alarm function is typically arranged such that the alarm is triggered according to time only (that is, the alarm will be triggered at the set time, irrespective of where the user equipment is located or what the user of the equipment is doing or has been doing).
In the case of user equipment with the ability to determine its location from GNSS signals, a known problem is that in certain locations the availability of such signals is restricted (and indeed no such signals may be available) and then the device is unable to continue determining its location.
It is also known for users to be able to manually change or update the profile or configuration of their mobile user equipment.
Certain embodiments of the present invention aim to provide improved methods of using radio signals transmitted for reception by mobile user equipment, and improved apparatus and improved user equipment. Certain embodiments aim to provide methods and apparatus which overcome, at least partially, one or more of the problems or disadvantages associated with the prior art.